Coin-controlled and coin-collecting mechanism



Oct. 22. 1929.

1.]. e. LYDECZKER Filed July 5, 1928 d Sheets-Sheet ATTORN EY Oct. 22,1929.

J. G. LYDECKER COIN CONTROLLED AND COIN COLLECTING MECHANISM Filed Jul;5,, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet E N R O T A Oct. 22, 1929. J. G. LYDECKER 001).CONTROLLED AND COIN COLLEGTINQ IECHRNISM' Filed July 5, 192B 5Sheets-Sheet m n m. u a

u a a u a 4 Iliill 2Z5.,iavrarit, i I. l J

ifiiil aiml Fatented Oct 2 2 192?;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN GEORGE LYDECKEB, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.,ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO E. Z. E. CUSHION CORPORATION, OF NEWYORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE COIN-CONTROLLED ANDCOIN-COLLECTING- MECHANISM Application filed July 5, 1928. Serial No.290,353.

My present invention refers to that classfi Figure 2 is a similarpartial front eleva-' of automatic vending machinery commonly describedas coin-controlled locking and unlocking mechanism operated by theinsertion oi a coin or similar unit thereinto; and more particularly itrelates to means for collecting from the coin-controlled locking devicesthe coins so inserted and used to actuate the same, said collectingmeans being fully protected mechanically against any unauthorizedappropriation of the coins by the collecting agent.

While, as above stated, the invention relates more particularly to acoin-collecting mechanism, the coin-controlled locking means is to alarge extent, in accordance with my lnvention, so constructed as tocooperate with the collecting means in accomplishing the purposes of theinvention. 2 The collecting means, as also the com-actuated lockdevices, may be applied to a large variety of objects and purposes, andthe collecting agencies may obviously be adapted to a wide field ofcoin-controlled machines; but a specimen device, which I offer anddescribe for explanatory and illustrative purposes only and with nointention of being confined thereto, consists in the combination withthe coin-controlled locking devices and collecting means of a box orreceptacle used to contain seat cushions or pads and similar articles.

With these and other objects in view, the invention may be said toconsist essentially in the construction, arrangement and combination of:parts, substantially as will be hereinafter described and thenparticularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawingsillustrating my invention:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved coin-controlled lockingmechanism and collecting means therefor, shown as operatively applied toa box or receptacle, the cover of which is indicated in its closedposition.

tion of the same, showing the receptacle cover unlocked and opened.

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail inside view of the lock casing, viewedfrom the rear when removed from the cushion'receptacle to which it isattached to expose the inner mechanism, the members of which are shownin the locked position which they assume when the receptacle cover isclosed and locked.

Figure 4: is a similar inner view of the lock casing with the innermechanical parts in the position they take when unlocked by and afterthe insertion of a coin which cooperates with the latch bar and thenpasses down the coin chute.

Figure 5 is a similar view of the same parts after the manually-operablecoin-moving lever has automatically returned to its normal position andfurther shifted the latch bar into its extreme unlocking position andplaced all the parts in proper relation to effectuate a relocking of thecover when the coin-collecting and removing means engages and actuatesthe said interior mechanism.

Figure 6 is a similar view of the same parts after the coin-collectingmeans has been adjusted on the lock casing and thus caused an expulsionof the coin from the lock easing into the collecting box, andsimultaneously restored the locking members into the position shown inFigure 1, with the receptacle cover again shut and locked, and all partsreset for a further coin operation; but before detaching the collectionmeans.

Figure 7 is a verticalsection on the line 7, 7, of Figure 3, includingtherein the cushion holder also.

Figure 8 is a vertical section on the line 8, 8, of Figure 5, includinglikewise the cushion receptacle.

Figure 9 is a vertical section on the line 9, 9, of Figure 6.

Figure 10 is a horizontal section on the line 10, 10, of Figure 3.

Figure 11 is a horizontal section on the line 11, 11,0f Figure 3.

Figure 12 is a detail sectional View of a part of the collecting box.

Like characters of reference designate corresponding parts in all thedifierent figures of the drawing.

To illustrate the practical use of the invention I have shown areceptacle or holder 1, which may be arranged in conjunction with achair or seat, and is designed to hold a cushion or pad which iswithdrawable for rental, sale, or otherwise, said receptacle having acover or lid2 hinged thereto at 5 and provided with a lift spring 7. Theends of cover 2 have cleats 2 that lit down closely over the ends ofeasing 1 to make a tight weather joint. This cover when closed may belocked, and for this purpose carries an eye member. hook or staple 6secured thereto,

which drops into a recess 35 in the upper part of lock casing 3 whencover 2 is closed, and is adapted to be engaged by the latch hook orbolt 16 on the latch bar 15, pivoted at 17 in casing 3 and actuated by acoin and a manually operable lever carrying the coin as I shallpresently explain.

On the, front of receptacle 1 is secured by screws or other devices 3,passing through from the inside of receptacle 1 so as to be inaccessiblewhen the receptacle is looked, a thin small rectangular closed lockcasing 3. It is of a convenient size, although its proportions may varyas devised. The front wall of receptacle 1 forms the rear side of easing3. The purpose of the latter is to contain the parts of thecoin-controlled locking mechanism and'theinterior mechanism cooperatingwith the coincollection means and releasing the coins at the proper timeto permit their automatic withdrawal from the lock easing when thecollection means is properly related thereto.

Secured to the inner surface of the front wall of the casing 3 is aparallel plate or partition 14;. This plate is spaced from the saidfront wall far enough to provide a thin space of suitable width tocontain certain of theoperative parts and also to furnish ach'ute'through which the coins may pass to cooperate with'the mechanicalparts in effectin the unlocking. The partition 14 may 0 course besupported in agreat variety of ways, and what I have depicted is merelyan'example. Besides being spaced from the front wall, it is alsoconveniently spaced from the receptacle-front wall which forms the rearside of the lock casing, to supply a space for the latch bar and otherparts. Of coursethis partition 14 is chiefly utilized to provide for thecoinchute, and its lower end 28 at the bottom of the lock casing andextending upward vertically for some distance affords a "properly sizedand shaped passage wherein the coin drops down to a point wheredetaining mechanism holds it temporarily until removed by the collectingmeans. At the top of the chute formed as described is an inlet slot A inthe upper edge of easing 3, thrOugh which a coin as C, as a dime,quarter nickel or the like, is introduced to enter the chuteway and doits unlocking duty under the impulse of inner mechanism which I shalldescribed.

The inner coin-controlled mechanism has two chief factors,lirst amanually operable pivoted lever which receives the coin on its edge andlifts it, and second a pivoted latch member having a locking hook andadapted to be vibrated by the coin striking it when lifted by the lever,so that the latch will be shifted on its pivot far enough to disengagethe locking hook from the staple and also to permit the coin to be shotforward into the chute, after which a spring returns the coinliftinglever to its normal lower position and sets the parts in the positionthey occupy until the coin is removed by the coin-collecting means,simultaneously with which a relocking by the latch bar takes place.

I will now further describe the coin-controlled locking mechanism ingreater detail. Directly below the coin inlet slot A is thespring-restrained lever 9, pivoted at 11 in the front wall of the casing3 by means of a horizontal pivot or journal. The upper edge of lever 9is preferably curved so that the coin C ma i fall thereon and rest inplace on the said edge which is relatively somewhat wider than the coinas clearly shown in Figure 7, and the lever 9 is so situated in relationto the partition 14 and the chute space between it and the front wall ofcasing 3 that the lever 9 may be lifted and swung on its pivot a greateror less distance through said chute space, carrying the coin C with it.Lever 9 therefore lies in part between plate 14 and the casing and isadapted to be moved in that space, its curved upper edge being engagedby coin C when it falls upon it. This lifting is effected by an outsidefront button or knob 8 having a pin 13 which works in a curved slot 12in front wall of easing 3 and is rigidly attached to lever 9. The slot12 limits the extent to which lever 9 can be moved by hand by the button8.

Lever 9 is normally held in a depressed approximately horizontalposition, as in Figure 3, by a spring 10 attached thereto and also tothe wall of easing 3, but when the button 8 is raised to lift lever 9from its idle position in Figure 3 to its unlocking position in Figure4, carrying the coin C with it, the coin will strike against the pin 20,lug or other projection, whieh projects horizontally from the latch bar15 at a short distance from its latching or bolt-shaped end 16 and inthe line of the path of movement of lever 9 and the coin C carriedthereby. For while the latch bar 15 is on the outside of partition 14the pin 20 extends into recess 35 in the upper end of easing 3 (in whichrecess are eye-bar 6 and latch hook 16) and plays back and forth in saidrecess being controlled as to the extent of its travel by the size andshape of said recess, the lower end of which if desired may be shaped asa guide slot as shown to more surely define the limits of the movementof the pin 20..

The latch bar 15 is pivoted at 17 to the wall of casing 3 by a pin orjournal that passes horizontally through the casing wall. The bar 15 hasa general oblong shape and lies outside of partition 14 or in the spacebetween the latter and the front wall of receptacle 1 as shown in theedge views in Fig ures 7 and 8. When the coin C drops through slot A itsedge will be contiguous to pin 20, and the coin bridges the gap betweenlever 9 and pin 20. If button 8 lifts lever 9 when no coin is present itwill exert no effect on the latch, but when a coin has been inserted inslotA the lifting of button 8 causes coin C to strike against pin 20 andthrow the latch 15 over on its pivoted point 17 and disengage latch hook16 from staple 6, so that cover 2 is set free and is immediately urgedby spring 7 into its upper open position, as shown in Figure 2, to allowthe withdrawal of the contents of receptacle 1.

As soon as the coin C thus throws latch 15 over a ways, pin 20 passesout of the descending path of the coin, as in Figure 4, and the coin isfree to slide under the in fluence of gravity beneath pin 20 and downthe coin chute along the incline of the latter and into and down throughthe vertical part 28 of the chute until it comes to rest on the lobe 24of a toothed segment 21 pivoted at 22 in the lower part of easing 3,with said lobe 2 1 projecting into chute 28 in the path of the coin whenthe lobe is held in such a position as to obstruct the coin for the timebeing. Segment 21 is temporarily so held by a spring 25 attached tosegment 21 at 21 and also to the wall of easing 3 at its other end.

WVhen the lock is in its fastened condition the latch 15 issubstantially perpendicular, as in Figures 3 and 6, but when the deviceis unlocked the latch 15 is more or less inclined, as in Figures 4 and5. The latch bar in ad dition to having the other features that havebeen described, has a pin 26 projecting horizontally therefrom adjacentto the lower end of the coin-moving lever 9. Further, the lower end oflatch bar 15, below its pivot 17, has an offset downward foot projection18, which is adapted to be struck by the toothed segment 21, when it isrotated to release a coin from chute 28, at the time when the collectionmeans is in action to gather in the money and reset the lock, as will beexplained.

Also the coin-moving lever 9 has certain further details to be noted, inthat its lower end is provided with means for engaging and operatingwith the latch bar 15. At said low er end lever 9 has a notch a on itsupper edge and alongside of it is a pointed tooth formed with aninclined outer edge 27. When lever 9 is lifted by moving button 8 toraise and press coin G against tl e latch pin 20 far enough to shift thelatch 15 on its pivot 17 and remove bolt 16 from staple 6, to unlockcover 2, the first etlect of raising the left end of lever 9 is todepress the right end and disengage the latch pin 26 from notch a, sothat latch bar 15 will be free to shift as soon as the coin strikes thelatch pin 20, and thus latch bolt 16 passes out of staple 6.

Thus the latch bar 15 is tipped over from its perpendicular to aninclined position, as it is shown in Figure 4, where the pin 26 is outof notch a and moved some little distance from it. In the process ofunlocking by the use of a coin, as set forth, as soon as the movement ofbutton 8 has caused this change to take place in the position of latchbar 15, and the coordinate propulsion of the coin down its chute to thecoin-detention mechanism, the person operating the device will let go ofbutten 8. Then the spring 10 will draw the lever 9 back into its normalquiescent depressed position, as shown in Figure 5, and in so doing willmove the notched end of lever 9 so it will lift and the inclined edge 27of the toothed end of said lever will contact with pin 26, and by virtueof its inclined edge ride upon the pin and push the lever over furthertowards the right from the position in Fig ure 1. 111 this latterposition the latch hook 16 will be entirely beyond the recess 35 andfree from any close association with it, and entirely out of the way ofthe return of staple 6 into recess when the cover is again closed to berelocked; and the inclined edge 27 is now so positioned relatively topin 26 that when the latch bar 15 is vibrated to the left the pin 26will ride on the edge 27.

That is to sa when the parts are in the position shown in Figure 5 withlatch pin 26 against lever incline 27, the parts are in readiness forrestoration to locking position where they may be again controlled by acoin in unlocking. This restoration comes into eilect automatically bythe use of the coin collection means, which not only collects the coin,but in so doing moves the latch bar again to its perpendicular position,thereby causing the pin 26 to ride on inclined edge 21 and depress thetoothed end of the lever 9., lifting of course the other end andstretching spring 10, until the pin 26 passes over the sharp end of thelever tooth and is caught by snapping into th notch a, the spring 10 nowcompressing and holding notch at around pin 26, at which time the latchbar 15 is locked in the position shown in Figures 3 and 6, which is itsposition when cover 2 is locked shut.

the casino This reverse action of thelatch is caused when the shutter isrelocked.

observing the shape of latch bar 15, as portrayed in edge view inFigures 7 and 8, it will be seen that just above its pivot 17 it has ajog or shoulder which allows the'upper hooked or bolt'shaped part to lieoutside the chute and between the plate 14: and the adj acent front wallof easing 1; while the lower portion which carries the pivot 17 in closeagainst the front wall of easing 3. Such specific arrangement, to whichof course I am not confined, is preferably adapted to conserve thecompact and neat arrangement of the few simple mechanical elements whichcompose my device.

Vertically below the latch bar 15 a toothed or dentated segment 21 ispivoted at 22 to the wall of lock casing 3. Segment 21 has lobe or arm24 that projects into an opening in the adjacent side of the verticalpart 28 of the coin chute, so as to form a stop and support in the pathof the dropping coin C on which it may rest as snown in Figures l and 5,so long as the segment 21 is in its normal position projecting into thechute 28 and held there by the spring 25, which is fastened to thesegment at 21 and also to and which holds lower end of segment bearingagainst the chute. The segment 21 has a series of teeth 23 cut thereinin any regular or irregular manner and number. Segment 21 is rotatable,and when it is rotated the last tooth or an equivalent projection or lugthereon will strike against the V projecting foot 18 on the lower end oflatch bar 15 and oscillate the latch bar on its pivot 17, so as to raiseit from the inclined position shown in Figure 5 and restore it into thevertical locking position shown in Figures 3 and 6, from which it wastaken in unlocking. 7

. llorif the segment 21 be rotated far enough to strike the projection18 the latch bar 15 will be vibrated on itspivot 17, which will causepin 26 to strike against incline 27, and as it rides thereon the pinwill depress the rear end of the lever 9, lifting the other end of thislever, against spring 10, which will be extended, thus permitting thepin 26 to depress the lever 9 and snap over the pointed end of the toothon 1 ver 9 and engage the recess a, which will hold the latch bar in avertical position; and manifestly at the same time the members 6 and 16will interengage and lock cover 2 if it has already been closed.

Obviously also the partial rotation of the segment- 21 has released thecoin for collection.

' and the receptacle is relocked; these functions take placesimultaneously, and for this purpose I use a coin-collecting means whichenables the coin or coins to be taken out of the look casing 3 withoutexposure to loss in the collection, and without being handled or seen atthe time by the agent making the collection.

The cash collecting mechanism for my coin-controlled device, which I usein 0011- nection with the above coin-controlled looking means, and whichis associated operatively therewith as stated, comprises a portableclosed box l having an upper extension 31 which embraces three sides oflock casing 3 for a certain distance up from the bottom of casing 3 whenthe top or box 4 is placed closely beneath the bottom of easing 3, asshown in Figures 6 and 9. The upper portion of box a is provided with astraight vertical toothed bar 32 adapted to enter casing 3 through anopening in the bottom when the collection box is in collecting position.lVhen bar 32 is thus introduced into casing 3 it is guided upwardly by avertical inner stationary guide post 19 in casing 3. This post 19 iscontiguous to the serrated edge 23 of the segment 21, and surely guidesthe bar 32 into mesh with the teeth of segn'ient 21, so that when thebar 32 enters through an opening in the bottom of casing 3 and passesbetween the post and segment it will be guided upwardly by post 19 andwill engage segment 21 and partly rotate the same, thus I'GlllOVll'lglobe at from under the coin and shifting the latch bar 15 to relock theapparatus as just described.

l urthermore, when the cash collection box at is caused to enclasp thecasing 3 by its three-sided extension 31, the top of box 4- which isseated under the bottom of casing 3 not only introduces asegment-rotating member 32 into casing 3 which delivers the coin to box4, but also aligns a channel or spoutmember 29, carried inside box l,with the vertical chute member 28, the registry of the two parts beingcoordinated so that the member 29 may form a continuation of the coinchute. Hence when the collection box is localized on the lock casing,the segment 21 is rotated as suggested to remove its lobe 2i from itssupporting attitude under coin C, so that the latter will be dischargedinto the box i. I place a pin 3 1 in wall oi box 4 below chute 29 todeflect the coin when it falls and also to prevent its withc rawalthrough chute 29 or any picking of the box, after the latter is detachedfrom casing 3.

The close relation of the collection means to the coin-controlledlocking means is apparent and their interdependence is obvious. At thesame time, it will be noted that the collecting mechanism is applicablefor use with any kind of coin-controlled mechanismfor locking, andespecially with collection means including a revoluble segment or itsequivalent that is operable by a toothed member projecting from the coinbox, which segment also has a function in the coin-controlled mechanism.

Assuming that the receptacle 1 is purposed to contain a soft seat pad orcushion to be rented for use on a metal chair, concrete form or otherhard seat, at a nominal cost of some coin, the renter can open thereceptacle by dropping the coin into the slot A and then moving the knob8 up to the limit of slot 12, which will disengage the latch from staple6 and release cover 2. After the rental period of the pad is over thesuperintendent of the seats may go about with a portable cash box togather up the coins from the ditlerent seats, each time firstre-inserting the cushion in its receptacle and closing the cover beforeattaching the cash box and thus simultaneously taking out the coin fromthe lock case and relocking the cover. Thus a large seating capacity maybe quickly and easily served.

What I claim, is:

1. In coin collecting means of the class described, the combination witha receptacle and its cover, and coin-controlled locking mechanismtherefor including a casing having a coin outlet, of means for removingthe coins from the casing consisting of a separate box having a coininlet adapted to register with the said coin outlet, and carrying aninsertible releasing member, together with coin releasing means in thelock casing engaged and operated by said releasing member.

2. In coin collecting means of the class described, the combination witha receptacle and its cover, and coin-controlled locking mechanismtherefor including a casing having a coin outlet, of means for removingthe coins from the casing consisting of a separate box having a coininlet adapted to register with the said coin outlet, and provided with atoothed member adapted to enter the lock casing, and a pivoted toothedsegment in the lock casing having a coin-supporting and releasingmember, said segment being ongaged and rotated by the toothed bar whenthe latter is inserted in the casing.

3. In coin-collecting means of the class described, the combination witha receptacle and its cover, and coin-controlled locking mechanismtherefor including a casing having a coin outlet, of means for removingthe coins from the casing consisting of a portable box having a coininlet adapted to register with the said coin outlet, and provided withan insertible releasing member, and a rotatable spring-actuatedcoin-supporting-and-releasing and relocking means pivoted in the lockcasing and operated by the releasing member when inserted into the lockcasing.

4. In coin-controlled locking and collecting means, the combination witha coin-controlled device including a casing having a coin outlet, of aportable box having a coin inlet adapted to register with the coinoutlet, and carrying an insertible releasing member, together with coinreleasing means in the lock casing engaged and operated by saidreleasing member.

5. The combination with a coin-controlled device including a casinghaving a coin outlet, of a portable collecting box having a coin inletadapted to register with the coin outlet, and carrying an insertiblereleasing member, together with coin releasing means in the lock casingengaged and operated by the said releasing member.

6. In a coin-operated device of the class described, the combinationwith a coin-controlled locking means including a casing-haw ing a coinoutlet and an opening to admit a releasing member, of a portablecollector l1aving a releasing member thereon adapted to project into thelock casing and also a coin inlet to connect with the coin outlet, andmeans in the casing operable by the releasing member to set free a coinand pass it into the collector.

7. The combination with a coin-controlled device including a casinghaving a coin outlet, and a locking means with mechanism for unlockingsame, of a portable collection box having a coin inlet adapted toregister with the coin outlet, and provided with a toothed bar adaptedto enter the lock casing, together with a pivoted toothed segment in thecasing for supporting and for releasing a coin and for effecting arelocking of the locking means, said toothed bar engaging and actu atingthe toothed segment when it enters the caslng.

8. In a coin-controlled locking and coin collection means, thecombination with locking means comprising essentially a casing having aninlet and outlet, a pivoted coinsupporting and moving lever, a pivotedlatchbar actuated in unlocking when a coin is introduced between themand the coin-moving lever is turned on its pivot, a portable collectionbox having a coin inlet adapted to connect with the aforesaid outlet andhaving also a releasing member, and a coin-releasing and relocking meansin the lock casing operable by the box-releasing member when it isintroduced into the casing and engaged with said coin-releasing andrelocking means.

9. In a device of the class described, the combination with lockingmeans comprising essentially a casing having an inlet and outlet, apivoted spring-provided coin-supporting and moving lever, having anotched end with an incline, a pivot-ed latch bar actuated in unlockingwhen a coin is introduced be tween them and the coin-moving lever isturned on its pivot, said latch bar having a pivot that engages thenotched end of the coin moving lever at times and having also a foot, aportable separate box to receive coins from the said outlet and having areleasing member, means Within the casing for ejecting the coins andresetting the latch bar in locked position, said latter means beingoperated by the box-releasing member when it is introduced.

- 10. In a device of the class described, the combination with lockingmeans comprising essentially a casing having an inlet and outlet,

' a pivoted lever for moving a coin thereon, a

coin chute, a pivoted latch bar having a pin engaging the coin-movinglever, a portablebox having a toothed bar, a spring-provided toothedsegment in the casing having a lobe that supports a coin at times in thechute and releases it at other times and having a part that engages thelatch bar to set it in looking position, said toothed segment beingactuated by the toothed bar When the box is positioned on the lockcasing to collect the coins.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

JOHN GEORGE LYDECKER.

